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Activation functions and analogy to explain

Activation functions and analogy to explain

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Activation functions and analogy to explain

Activation functions and analogy to explain

Uploaded by

nisharobinrohit
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

Binary Step Function:

• Analogy: Light switch

• Explanation: Just like a light switch is either on or off, the Binary Step function
outputs either 0 or 1. You could use a physical switch or a simple circuit diagram to
demonstrate this.

• Activity: Use a light bulb and switch; ask students to predict the output when the
switch is on or off.

2. Linear Function:

• Analogy: Walking on a flat road

• Explanation: Walking on a straight, flat road represents a linear relationship. The


distance you walk (output) increases directly with the time spent walking (input).

• Activity: Plot a straight line graph and ask students to predict outputs for given
inputs.

3. Sigmoid Activation Function:

• Analogy: Saturating sponge

• Explanation: Imagine a sponge soaking water. At first, it absorbs quickly, but


eventually, it becomes saturated and stops absorbing as much. The Sigmoid
function works similarly, slowly reaching a maximum.

• Activity: Use a sponge and water to visually show the saturation process.

4. Tanh Activation Function:

• Analogy: Thermostat

• Explanation: A thermostat regulates temperature, allowing it to go up or down but


within a certain range. Tanh outputs values between -1 and 1.

• Activity: Use a toy thermometer that moves up and down, showing how tanh
balances between two extremes.

5. ReLU Activation Function:

Analogy: Opening a Door


Explanation: Imagine a door that only opens when you push it, but stays closed if
you pull it. If you push (positive input), the door opens (positive output). If you pull
(negative input), the door doesn't move (output is 0).

6. Leaky ReLU Activation Function:

• Analogy: Leaky faucet

• Explanation: A leaky faucet drips even when it's mostly off. Similarly, Leaky ReLU
allows a small, non-zero output for negative inputs.

• Activity: Show a faucet with a slight leak, explaining the small output even when the
input is negative.

7. Parameterized ReLU (PReLU):

• Analogy: Adjustable wrench

• Explanation: Like an adjustable wrench can be customized to fit different nuts,


PReLU allows the "leak" amount to be adjusted.

• Activity: Use an adjustable wrench to show how you can change the size to fit
different bolts, relating it to adjusting parameters in PReLU.

8. Exponential Linear Unit (ELU):

• Analogy: Springboard

• Explanation: Like a springboard that pushes you back up with more force the
further you go down, ELU outputs grow exponentially for negative inputs, smoothing
out the learning process.

• Activity: Use a springboard or trampoline to demonstrate how the bounce changes


with different inputs (heights).

9. Swish Activation Function:

• Analogy: Sliding door

• Explanation: Swish is like a sliding door that moves smoothly, combining the
advantages of both ReLU and sigmoid.

• Activity: Demonstrate with a sliding door, explaining how it moves smoothly in both
directions, akin to how Swish combines and smooths inputs.

10. Softmax Activation Function:


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- **Analogy**: Voting system

- **Explanation**: Imagine a group voting on several choices. Softmax converts scores into
probabilities, just like votes being tallied into a percentage.

- **Activity**: Conduct a class vote on a topic, tallying the results and converting them into
percentages, illustrating how Softmax distributes probabilities.

General Activity:

• Interactive Simulation: Use a digital tool or online simulator where students can
input values and see how different activation functions transform the inputs into
outputs. Encourage them to experiment with various inputs to understand how each
function behaves.

By using these analogies, visual demonstrations, and interactive activities, you can make
learning these activation functions more relatable and engaging for students.

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